Denis Becirovic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated at the Southeast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Skopje that Bosnia and Herzegovina aims for good relations with regional countries grounded in mutual respect and understanding. He highlighted the country’s active participation in various regional initiatives aimed at enhancing regional cooperation.
Becirovic emphasized the importance of joining the Common Regional Market within the Berlin Process, expressing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s interest in this initiative as it aids in integrating their economies into the EU single market.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the threshold of the EU and NATO. In March this year, an important step towards EU membership was taken with the European Council’s decision to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a significant encouragement for our citizens. I take this opportunity to thank the EU and NATO for their dedication and support. It is crucial for the future of the region to work on affirming the truth and restoring trust among nations,” Becirovićc said.
Court rulings
He noted that the adoption of the Resolution on the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of the Genocide in Srebrenica by the United Nations General Assembly is a highly moral and civilizational act. The resolution is significant for both the UN and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The highest UN courts (the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) have ruled that genocide was committed against Bosniaks in the UN safe area of Srebrenica. These are court verdicts that cannot be erased from UN and world history. The General Assembly has supported these established legal facts and adopted the Resolution,” Becirovic emphasized.
He stressed the importance of the region’s commitment to fostering a culture of peace and justice, looking towards the future rather than the past, promoting reconciliation, protecting the legacy of UN courts, condemning the glorification of war criminals, preventing genocide, affirming a culture of remembrance, engaging in dialogue, building inclusive societies, and developing educational systems aimed at preventing genocide.
“As the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I want to emphasize that there are no genocidal nations. War criminals should not hide behind entire peoples. The resolution is a new opportunity for catharsis and a civilizational reckoning with those responsible for genocide. Regional cooperation holds significant potential and development opportunities. We must learn from the experiences of Western countries, which progressed significantly after abandoning expansionist projects,” Becirovic stated.
He pointed out that the shared interest of all regional countries includes strengthening functional democracy and the rule of law, ensuring independent and efficient judiciary systems, fighting corruption and organized crime, securing human rights and civil liberties, improving resilience to cyber-attacks, manipulations, and misinformation, strengthening media freedom, promoting energy transition, investing in renewable energy projects, reducing air pollution, and decarbonizing Southeast Europe.
“Only together can we implement the Green Agenda and ensure a healthier and sustainable environment for future generations. By collaborating on equal terms, we can build a safer and more economically prosperous region, develop modern and efficient transportation infrastructure, attract new investments, enhance regional trade, promote cross-border partnerships, stimulate economic growth and cultural exchange, and accelerate the socio-economic development of our region,” Becirovic said.
Threats to the Dayton Agreement
He added that Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine has caused a structural geopolitical earthquake, affecting our region.
“This is the biggest turning point of the 21st century, significantly impacting the European security architecture, political order, and economy. The world as we knew it until February 24, 2022, is gone. NATO membership is the only serious guarantee of security. NATO’s expansion also means reducing gray zones. Therefore, completing NATO’s enlargement process in the Western Balkans is an investment in collective stability and security,” Becirovic argued.
He stressed that under Moscow’s strong influence, the authorities of the Republika Srpska entity dangerously threatened the Dayton Peace Agreement, interpreted it selectively, undermine the independence, sovereignty, and statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and jeopardize peace and stability with their irresponsible policies.
“It is particularly important to warn against the dangers of policies advocating changes to national borders in Southeast Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a reliable partner for regional cooperation. I believe we can all contribute significantly to strengthening regional cooperation and ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future for this part of Europe. I also take this opportunity to thank you for supporting the election of Amer Kapetanovic as the Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). As the host country of the RCC Secretariat, Bosnia and Herzegovina will assist the RCC Secretariat in effectively performing its duties to ensure successful functioning and strengthening of regional cooperation,” Becirovic concluded, according to a statement from the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source link : https://n1info.ba/english/news/becirovic-bosnia-seeks-good-relations-with-regional-countries-based-on-mutual-respect/
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Publish date : 2024-06-14 07:15:30
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